Valve



Feb- 2, 1954 H. w. TREVASKIS 2,668,035

` VALVE Filed Dec. 27, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 2, .1954 H. w. TR'EvAsKls VALVE l 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 27, 1951 l Feb. 2, 1954 H. w( TREVASKIS 2,668,035

VALVE Filed Deo. 27, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 @www Patented Feb. 2, 1954 VALVE Henry William Trevaskis, Solihull, England, as-

signor to Dunlop Rubber Company Limited, London County, England, a British company Application December 27, 1951, Serial No. 263,615

Claims priority, application Great Britain January 2, 1951 7 Claims.

This invention relates to valves for the control of uid pressure.

Pressure control units normally incorporate one or more valves, and these valves may be of various types. Preferably, however, the valves are of the direct acting type, such as poppet, ball and ap valves. In some control units these valves are held against their valve seats by the pressure from the source, and frequently a considerable initial force is required to crack the valve and unseat it, which is undesirable. In other types of control units the pressure from the source tends to open the valve which is held against its seating by a spring. The force of the spring to seat the valve must always exceed the force exerted by the pressure from the source to unseat it, thus ensuring a positive seating action. It frequently happens, however, particularly with pneumatic systems, that thepressure from the source varies very considerably. The force nec.

essary to overcome the spring and unseat the valve thus varies With variations in the pressure from the source. This also is undesirable.

Direct acting valves, particularly of the poppet and iiap type, normally seat on a rubber or rubber-like seating ring. The rubber is plastic, and when the valve is seated the rubber tends to flow from the area of high pressure to ythat of low pressure. Excessivedistortion of the sealing ring is objectionable since it tends to slow down the operation of the valve and provides a less positive seating.

The object of this invention is to provide a valve for the vcontrol of fluid pressure which requires a small force only for its operation, this force remaining practically constant irrespective of variations in pressure from the source'. Another object of the invention is to provide avalve Which permits a controlled flow of fluid therethrough and which comprises a seating ring which is not greatly distorted under pressure. Yet another object of the invention is to provide a fluid pressure control unit which incorporates valves of the preferred type.

According to the invention a valve for-the control of fluid pressure comprises a fluid-#tight chamber having a. connection for pressure fluid, two co-axial tubular valve members at least one thereof being slidable in a. wall of theichamber, a sleeve co-axial With and slidable relative to the valve members, said sleeve overlapping the ad-1 jacent ends of the members, an annular seating ring for the said ends carried by the sleeve, axially spaced fluid passages in the sleeve on opposite sides of the ring and meanspfor moving at least one of the valve members axially towards and away from the ring. Y

Preferably the fluid-tight chamber is adapted to be connected to a source of fluid pressure and the adjacent ends of the tubular valve members are chamfered to provide a more Huid-tight contact with the seating ring which is preferably of a rubber or rubber-like composition. 'Ihe valve members may be chamfered at either their inner or outer peripheries, but when chamfered at their outer peripheries are preferably provided Withan inwardly extending annular step, the change in diameter taking place within the pressure chamber. f

In one form of the invention both valve members are slidably fitted through holes in opposite ends of a chamber which is adapted to be connected to a source of fluid pressure, and the adjacent ends of the members are chamfered, the chamfered portions being on the outer peripheries of the members. A cylindrical sleeve is slidably fitted within the larger diameter parts of the tubular members and an annular seating ring extends outwardly from said sleeve and forms a huid-tight seating for the adjacent chamfered ends of the valve members. The sleeve is provided withl a plurality of holes extending radially therethrough on both sides of the seating ring. The chamfered end of each valve memberis of larger diameter than the end slidably passing through the hole in the chamber, the change in diameter taking place within the pressure chamber and forming an outwardly extending annular step. The outside diameter of the smaller part of the valve member is equal to the inside diameter of the larger part of each valve member and the axially projected areaof said annular rstep equals and balances the axially projected area of said chamfered end. Thus .whenthe'valve is closed andthe chamber pressurized the force exerted by said pressure and acting on the step of the valve member in' one axial direction is balanced by the axial component of the force acting on the chamfered end of the, valve member in lthe other axial direction. The force required to open the valve is thus only that force required to overcome the frictional resistance of one or both slidable valve members.

In another form of the construction the adjacent ends of the tubular valve members are chamfered at the inner periphery thereof and the valve members are not stepped to two diameters, as hereinabove described, but have a uniform diameter and extend fluid-tightly through opposite Wallsof the fluid-tight chamber. The sleeve is` In order that the invention may be more fully l described, reference is madefto ltheaaccompamiing drawings, wherein:

Figure l shows a sectional :arrangement of fone form of valve construction,

Figure 2 shows a sectional arrangement of another fcrm of valve construction,

Figure 3 shows a pressure reducing mechanism incorporating valves of the preferred type.

In one embodiment of the present invention (Fig. l) a valve comprises a cylindrical pressuretight chamber d provided-at a 'location `between its ends with a conduit 2 to communicate with a source -of pneu-matic pressure. A'lhole 3 visjprovided central-ly through each 'end of the chamber and tubular valve members 4 and 5 are slidably -ntted through eachof said holes. 'The .holes and valve kmembers are (zo-axially aligned and the walls of the tubular Yvalvemembers are or unifor-m thickness. Alila-ch valvemember is provided, l'within the cylindrical chamber, with va 'larger diameter portion 4a, 5a the Iradial width of the Astep -so formed being equal to the thickness of said Wall. A sealingring -6 is fitted against each end of the cylindrical chamber to prevent leakage of pressure fluid along the interface between the outer v.periphery of the valve Imember and the isole through which it passes. An impregnated felt 'lubricating washer 7 isfitted against each .sealing ring. The two rings at .each end of the housing are held in position .by -a spacing member comprising a tubular portion 8 .of 'larger diameter- 'than 4the valve rmembers and coaxiajl therewith and an annular :ilange portion '9 extending radially outwardly from each end thereof, A.said vflange portions .abutting the 'lubricating washers and holding them, together with the sealingrings, against their respective ends 0I ,the chamber. The spacing member is provided with diametrically 'opposed radially .extending holes Yand, .a sleeve of metal gauze or .other Ysimilar .lltering material (not illustrated) may be vlitted .over `the tubular portion of the` spacing member Vto prevent foreign matter Vfrom entering :the halve.

A11-annular sleeve 'l0 is s lidably fitted within the larger diameter parts of the tubular .valve members, aportion of the sleeve being slidable in -eachva'lve member, "Ihethieliness .of the `wall .of said 4sleeve .is kept as nlow as permissible in order to obtain the 'largest possible new through `.the bore lof the sleeve. An annular grooveof rectancular `section is provided .around the ,periphery of the sleeve midway .between .its ends and an .annular rubber seating Aring l] .of rectangular crossnsection is ntteglin said grooveand extends radialt-he :sleeve is provided with twang-moves l2 .ci lpart- -circular section, one on eachsideofthe ring and adjacent thereto, and from the .bottom `0f .said grooves a plurality of holes 'I3 lead into the here of the sleeve. The adjacent ends of the two tubular valve members are chamfered to `a knife edge, said knife-edge portions being at the inner periphery of the valve members, and are adapted to seat one on each side Yof the seating ring.

lar valve members towards the other, when the annular knife-edges will seat one on each side of the seating ring and thus prevent the ilow of pneumatic pressure from the source, through the holes rin :the 'sleeve and into the tubular valve members.

With the valve closed, the two annular knife- .edges seating on the seating ring are spaced from vthe outer periphery of the sleeve only by the very small clearance between the outer periphery of fthesleeve and the inner periphery of the valve members. Theil-ow of rubber of the seating ring is. thus -very restricted.

.Eachof the valve .members is balanced when the valveis in a closed position, i. e. the force exferted iby the pressure from the source and acting Abn the step of the valve member in one axial direction is balanced by the axial component of 'the force acting on the chamfered end of the valve member in the other direction. The force required to `oper-1 the 'valve -is thus only that iorce required to overcome the tricti'onal resistance of one or both slida'ble valve members, and this force yremains -very small irrespective ei pressure `changes Ifrom the source.

To open the vvalve-one or both valve members are slid axially and fone or l-both annular 'knifeedges quit the seating ring and expose the holes in the sleeve. Pneumatic pressure from the source Ythereupon flows through said holes Aand into the valve members.

'In another embodiment of the invention (Fig. 2) `a `valve is pre-vided which is similar to that vhereinabove described. It comprises a cylin- -drcal'fluid-tight operating chamber I4 provided at va location between its ends with a conduit I5 adapted to deliver 'uid under pressure. A hole I6 is provided centrally through each lend of the chamber and cylindrical tubular valve members l1 and i8 are slidably fitted through each of said holes. The holes vand valve mem- 'bers are rio-axially laligned and `the walls of the tubular valve members are of Auniform thickness. A sealing ring t9 is fitted against each end of the end y walls -o the chamber, interior of the chamber, Ate prevent'leakage vof pressure ilud along the interface between the outer periphery of the valve member and the hole through which it passes. An impregnated Vfelt lubricating vwasher 20 is fitted against each sealing ring. vThe adjacent ends of lthe two valve members 'are chamfered to an annular knife-edge, the `chamfered portions being at the inner periphery of the valve members.

lThe adjacent ends of the two valve members are `both `slidable within a cylindrical sleeve 2|, the end -of each valve member being slidable within a portion of the sleeve. An annular ,groove .of rectangular section is provided around the inner periphery of the sleeve midway between its ends, and annular rubber sealing ring .2 2 of rectangular cross-section `is `iitted in said groove and extends radially inwards therefrom. 'Ihe `inner periphery .of the sleeve is provided -With -two shallow grooves :23 lof rectangular section, one on each .side of the ring vand .adjacent thereto, and from the bottom of .said grooves a plurality Jof 'holes v24 lead into the chamber. The vannular knife-edge Portions at the adaccnt ends of the valve members are adapted to seat one on each side of the seating ring.

The ends lof the two valve members remote from the seating ring project 4into and com- The valve is closed bymoving-one orboth tubu- -municate with a pressure chamber which is adapted to be connected to a source of fluid pressure.

The valve is opened by moving one or both tubular valve members away from the other, thus exposing the holes in the sleeve and allowing the pressure iiuid to flow therethrough into the #operating chamber I4 and thence, e. g. into a mechanism to be operated. Similarly the valve is closed by moving one or both tubular valve members towards the other, when the annular knife-edges will seat one on each side of the seating ring and thus prevent the flow of pressure fluid through the sleeve. l

One or both valve members may be arranged to communicate with a mechanism to be operated, as in the irst embodiment of the invention or with a source of fluid pressure, as in the second embodiment of the invention. Means are provided for slidably moving one or both valve members towards or away from one another and said means'may comprise, e. g. a flexible cable,l a lever mechanism, an electrically operated solenoid or a piston and cylinder mechanism.

A valve constructed as herein described may be incorporated in a great variety of fluid pressure control units. By way of example, a pneumatic reducing unit is described incorporating valves of the above type.

This unit, which is illustrated in Figure 3, comprises a closed cylindrical housing 25, having an inlet connection 23 centrally positioned at one end thereof and an outlet connection 2l centrally positioned at the other end. The inlet connection communicates with a pressure chamber 28 located co-axially within the housing at the end thereof adjacent the inlet connection.

A anged tubular valve member is securely tted in the end of the pressure chamber adjacent the inlet connection. Said member comprises a tubular valve member 29 extending coaxially from one face of a circular flange 3B, the periphery thereof being contained in an annular groove formed in the wall of the pressure chamber. The iiange is provided, adjacent its outer periphery, with a plurality of holes 3| for L the passage of pressure fluid. One end of the tubular member is thus closed and the other end open and the open end is chamfered at the outer periphery, i. e. the annular knife-edge is located at the inner periphery.

Another tubular valve member 32 is slidably and co-axially itted through a hole in the wall of the pressure chamber remote from the inlet connection, and said valve member extends across the housing to a location adjacent the outlet connection. An annular sealing ring 33 and lubricating ring 34 are tted against said pressure chamber wall and prevent leakage of air under pressure between the valve member and the said hole and also lubricate said valve member. Said washers are held in position by a lter member 35 of frusto-conical shape which has one end abutting said washers and the other end abutting said ange 30.

The end of the valve member 32 within the pressure chamber is likewise chamfered at its outer periphery to provide an annular knife-edge at its inner periphery. The chamfered end of this valve member is of larger diameter than the part slidably passing through the hole in the pressure chamber, the change in diameter taking place within the pressure chamber and forming an outwardly-extending annular step 36. The outside diameter of the smaller diameter part of said valve member is equal to the inside di- -ameter of the larger diameter part. lThe inside and outside diameters of the adjacent ends of the two valve members are equal.

A sleeve 31 is slidably tted within the adjacent ends of the two valve members, a part of said sleeve being slidable in one member and the other part slidable in the adjacent member. The sleeve is provided at its outer periphery and midway between its ends, with an annularl groove in which is seated an annular resilient seating ring 38, which extends radially outwardly from said groove and forms a seating for the adjacent chamfered ends of the two tubular valve members. Holes 39 located on each side of the seating ring allow the passage of pressure fluid through the sleeve. The two tubular valve members 29 and 32, together with t-he sleeve and seating ring, comprise an inlet valve.

The end of the tubular member 32 adjacent the outlet connection has secured thereto in pressure-tight manner an annular flange 40 extending radially outwardly therefrom and from the outer periphery of the ange a tubular valve member 4I extends axially away from the outlet connection. The end of the valve member is chamfered in the manner previously described. A sleeve 42 has one end slidable in said valve member 4!) and the other end slidable in another tubular valve member 43, which also has one end chamfered. The sleeve is provided with an outwardly-extending seating ring 44 to co-operate with the adjacent chamfered ends of the two tubular valve members and radially-extending holes 45 for the passage of pressure iiuid. The two tubular valve members 4| and 43, together with their associated sleeve and seating ring, constitute a relief valve.

An outer annular chamber 46 is formed between the outer wall of the housing 25 and the co-axial Wall of the pressure chamber 28, and said annular chamber forms part of a relief chamber which communicates with atmosphere through holes 41 located adjacent the inlet connection.

The end of the tubular valve member 43 remote from the seating ring is provided with an outwardly-extending radial ange 48 from the outer periphery of which a cylindrical guide member 49 extends axially and slidably fits the outside of the peripheral wall of the pressure chamber 28. Holes 50 are provided through said member to allow communication between the interior of the relief valve sleeve 42 and the annular chamber 46. From said flange 48 a cylindrical member 5I extends axially to a location adjacent the outlet connection end of the housing and midway between the ends of said member 5I an outwardly-extending annular flange 52 extends radially to a location adjacent the peripheral wall of the housing. A flexible annular diaphragm 53 is provided, the outer periphery of which is nipped between two parts of the housing wall and the inner periphery of which is nipped between two parts of the flange 52 at the outer periphery thereof. The part of t-he housing on the side of the flange 52 adjacent the outlet connection comprises the operating chamber 54 of the mechanism.

The tubular valve member 4I is provided adjacent its chamfered end with an outwardly-extending flange 55 which slidably ts in the cylindrical member 5I, and said ange is provided with a plurality of holes for the passage of pressure fluid. A helical spring 56 is interposed between said ange and the adjacent end-of the the ring. The relief valve is thus closed.

:housing and a fpluralityiofghelically wound springs v51 are fitted in the 'annular :chamber 4E of the relief chamber, and have one end abutting the .flange 52 and the other end abutting the end of said annular chamber provided with the holes In the inoperative position of the mechanism the spring 55 forces the tubular valve member 4l in onedirection to seat on the ring 131i and the valve member I123 is forced in the opposite` direction by the springs 5l to seat on the other side of The springs 5l are so rated that they exert a greater rforce than spring 56 and in the opposite direction and thus the whole relief valve is moved bodily towards the outlet connection. The valve member `32 of the inlet valve is secured to the valve member 4l `of the vrelief valve and thus movement of the relief valve in this direction opens the inlet valve.

`The operation of the pressure reducing mechanism, when the inlet connection is connected to the upstream side of a pneumatic pressure line and the outlet connection is connected to the downstream side, is as follows. Air under pressure ows through the inlet connection into the pressure chamber, through the open inlet valve and tubular valve vmember into the operating chamber and thence through the outlet `connection. The pressure in the operating chamber mounts up and, acting on the flange 52 and other parts associated with the valve member :33 of the relief valve, forces said valve member against the springs 5l in a -direction away from the outlet connection. The other valve member di of the relief valve is spring-loaded to follow the movement of valve member 43, thus maintaining the relief valve shut. The inlet valve member 32 is secured to relief valve member il! and hence movement of valve member il in a direction away from the outlet connection will close the inlet valve and prevent the further flow of air under pressure through the mechanism when a predetermined outlet pressure has been attained. When the pressure in the operating chamber drops below said predetermined value the springs 5T will move the relief valve bodily towards the outlet connection, thus rez-opening the inlet valve in the manner hereinabove described.

It is possible for the pressure in the operating chamber to exceed the predetermined value, due, e. g. to the effects of heat. 'I'he inlet valve will be shut and excess pressure, acting on the flange 52 and parts associated with the relief valve member 43 will move said flange against the force of the springs. Relief valve member 4i will not move since it is secured to inlet valve member 32 which is seated. Relief valve member 43 thus moves away from the seating ring and excess pressure iiows therethrough, into the relief chamber 43, through the holes 4l' to atmosphere.

A pressurecon-trol unitsimilar to the alcove is also suitable for controlling hydraulic pressure.

Having described .my invention, what I claim is:

1. A valve for the control of fluid pressure which comprises a fluid-tight .chamber having a connection for vpressure fluid, two co-axial tubular valve members at least one thereof being slidable ina wall of `the chamber, a sleeve coaxial with and slidable relative to the valve members, said sleeve overlapping the adjacent ends of the members, an annular seating ring for the said ends carried lby the sleeve, axially spaced fluid passages in the sleeve on opposite sides of the ring and means for moving at least one of `the valve members axially towards and away from the ring.

2. A valve according to claim 1 wherein the adjacent ends .of said tubular valve members are chamfered.

q 3. A valve according to claim 2 wherein the adjacent ends of the tubular valve members are axially slidable within a sleeve which is provided, intermediate its ends, with an inwardly extending annular .resilient ring' Yto form a fluid-tight seating for the chamfered ends of said tubular valve members, said sleeve being provided with a plurality of `holes on each side of the ring to allow the passage of pressure fluid radially therethrough.

4. A valve according to claim 3 wherein the adjacent ends of the valve vmembers are chamfered at the inner periphery thereof.

5. A valve according yto claim 2 wherein the sleeve is axially slidable in the adjacent end of the tubular valve members and is provided, intermediate its ends, with an outwardly-extending annular resilient ring to form a fluid tight seating for the cham-fered ends of said tubular valve members, said sleeve being provided with a plurality of holes on each side of the ring to allow the passage of pressure fluid radially therethrough.

6. A valve according to claim 5 wherein the adjacent ends of the valve members are chamfered at the outer periphery thereof.

7. A valve according to claim 6 wherein a part of the tubular valve member within the fluidtight chamber is stepped 4outwardly to a greater diameter, the area vof the annular step so formed being equal to the projected area of the chamfered end in the axial direction.

HENRY WILLIAM TREVASKIS.

References Cited in the .le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,180,897 Williams Apr. 25, 1916 2,087,037 McCarthy July 13, 1937 

